It’s been said that sitting is the new smoking – in other words, sitting for hours daily is now being linked to dangerous health conditions, just as smoking was in previous decades. Find out what makes standing the healthier option, and ways to make standing something you do easily and naturally.

If you are concerned about heart disease and weight gain, one simple move can make a big difference: stand up! Even if you get regular exercise, prolonged sitting can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity. When you are inactive for long periods of time, your body's metabolism slows down; this can lead to weight gain, which raises the risk of many diseases including type 2 diabetes and many cardiovascular conditions.

Some simple ways to stand more often without even thinking about include:

Getting up every hour and filling your glass with water - drink it while standing up.

If you are in a long meeting at work, stand in the corner for a period of time. Better yet, if the weather is cooperative, schedule "walking meetings."

When you are on the phone or writing emails, try standing instead sitting - you can do this at home by writing emails at your kitchen counter.

At work, look into a stand-up desk. These raise and lower via a built-in motor, and offer the flexibility to stand or sit.